HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY
Heritage University is unique in its origins. Both old and new, it is a successor institution to Spokane’s Fort Wright College (formerly Holy Names College), founded in 1907 by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. A new institution was born in 1981 through a change in name, location of administrative offices, ownership, and sponsorship. Under the impetus of two Yakama Nation women, leaders from business, religious, and education communities in the Yakima Valley incorporated as Heritage College so they could acquire the outreach programs which Fort Wright College operated in Omak and Toppenish.
On July 1, 1982, the transition to Heritage College became official. The new institution began offering undergraduate and graduate degrees as a separate private independent non-profit college with its main campus near Toppenish and satellite campuses in Spokane and in Omak. In 1987, the Spokane campus was closed and the students moved to the Toppenish campus. In 2008, Omak courses were consolidated with courses offered in collaboration with Wenatchee Valley College in Wenatchee.
In 1993, through a cooperative agreement with Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, Washington, upper division courses leading to a Heritage College four-year degree began. A similar program began at Columbia Basin Community College in Pasco in 2003 and at South Seattle Community College in 2006. All of these outreach sites are included in Heritage's accreditation by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. Numerous school district sites throughout the State of Washington are also used to deliver Heritage’s Master in Education programs. These sites are also monitored and approved by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges.
In 2004, Heritage College was designated Heritage University to reflect its substantial master's programs and to more accurately reflect for students from Central and South America the baccalaureate level of education provided at Heritage.
Heritage University was founded as a non-sectarian institution, not affiliated with any church or religious group. However, the University’s educational values have been influenced by the sponsoring religious order of Fort Wright College. The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) were founded in rural Quebec in 1843 to start schools in isolated towns where the poor had no educational opportunities. They emphasized high scholastic standards and enkindling the life of the mind in a personalized learning environment. They envisioned education as the full human development of each student — intellectually, professionally, spiritually, and morally — while creating community and inspiring service to others. Over the following years, they embedded these values in educational ventures pursued around the globe, with great respect for various cultures. This is the educational heritage of today's Heritage University.
MISSION
Heritage University is a non-profit, independent, non-denominational, accredited institution of higher education offering undergraduate and graduate education. Its mission is to provide quality, accessible higher education to multicultural populations which have been educationally isolated. Within its liberal arts curriculum, Heritage offers strong professional and career-oriented programs designed to enrich the quality of life for students and their communities.
VISION
From its founding days, Heritage University has been inspired by a vision of education which embraces issues of national and international significance. These issues revolve around the realization that cooperation across cultural boundaries — whether they are geographic, ethnic, racial, religious, or economic — will be vital to human survival. Heritage University recognizes a basic principle rooted in all the world’s great religions and moral traditions: each human person is endowed with inalienable dignity and gifted with unique potential.
To translate this vision into everyday reality in the Heritage University learning community requires a highly qualified and unusually dedicated faculty and staff with a low student to faculty ratio. These employees’ dedication to the Heritage University mission leads them to create and sustain unique educational programs specifically tailored to the special needs of multicultural and rural or isolated constituencies. The Heritage community attempts to live its motto, “Knowledge Brings Us Together,” by placing great importance on the dignity and potential of each student and by considering diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds as assets to the educational process.
Heritage University has a student body with substantial diversity, which creates an effective learning community where each cultural group is valued. To develop community and concern for the common good, Heritage University seeks to provide leadership in supporting cultural pluralism within our own and other communities. Cultural pluralism creates a climate of respect and appreciation by fostering “learning about us” in an interdependent and connected world. Heritage University acts to make its curriculum, staffing, teaching, and other collegiate activities reflect this learning.
Underlying the Heritage vision are three key values: 1) honoring each person’s human dignity and potential; 2) seeking intellectual growth and challenges; and 3) celebrating the shared spiritual roots of all humankind.
The Heritage University Vision is embodied in these eight operating principles:
H for the healing circle of life we live together;
E for excellence in teaching and in learning;
R for responsiveness to student needs: intellectual, family, and personal;
I for inclusivity and cultural pluralism;
T for team-work building community;
A for awareness leading to continuous improvement
G for grass-roots community involvement
E for effectiveness in managing limited resources to achieve Heritage’s goals.
NATIONAL AND REGIONAL RECOGNITIONS
In June 1986, Heritage University received recognition as an accredited institution of higher education from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the regional accrediting body responsible for verifying compliance with nationally recognized norms. This accreditation was retroactive to September 1, 1985. From July 1, 1982 until September 1985, Heritage had candidacy status with the accrediting association. The most recent reaccreditation visit by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities was April 2006 after which the University's accreditation was re-affirmed.
Heritage University is a member of the Alliance for Minority Participation (AMP) for Native American Serving Institutions of the National Science Foundation (NSF), and is also recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).
Heritage University is officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as eligible for federal student aid and institutional grant programs.
Heritage University offers teacher education programs which have been approved by the Washington State Board of Education and reviewed by the Professional Standards Board for Teacher Residency Certification and Professional Certification and for the Principal Credential, the Program Administrator Credential, and the School Counselor Credential.
The Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) degree is accredited by the National Council for Social Work Education, effective with the class of 1997. The next scheduled visit by CSWE is 2011.
The Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board officially recognizes Heritage University and has granted it participation in the state student aid and work-study programs, and eligibility for certain competitive grant opportunities offered by the Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Heritage University is an institutional member of the following organizations:
- Association of Governing Boards of Higher Education (AGB)
- Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
- American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) for Liberal Arts
- National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU)
- Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
- Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
- American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE)
- American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
- Students In Free Enterprise National Organization (SIFE)
- Online Private Academic Library Link (OPALL)
- Independent Colleges of Washington (ICW)
- Northwest Association of Private College and University Libraries (NAPCU)
- Washington State's High School - College Relations Council
- American Association of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers (AACRAO)
- Pacific Association of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers (PACRAO)
- Private Registrars of Washington (PROW)
- American Indian Graduate Center
- Council Independent Colleges (CIC)
Individual faculty and administrators hold memberships in numerous other regional and professional associations.
Heritage University has concluded a formal Memorandum of Understanding for partnership activities with each of the following entities: Battelle Memorial Institute’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; the Department of Energy at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation; the University of Washington; Eastern Washington University; Central Washington University; Big Bend Community College; Columbia Basin Community College; Wenatchee Valley College; South Seattle Community College; Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital; Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center, Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, numerous school districts in the region, and regional health care organizations.
Heritage University was designated in 1997 by the United States Department of Agriculture as a “National Center of Excellence” for rural community development activities and was one of two universities nationally to receive this designation for the eight consecutive years it was awarded.
Heritage University is located within the Yakama Indian Reservation, less than three miles from the Yakama Indian Nation Tribal Headquarters. Numerous working relationships with tribal programs enhance the goals of both the University and the Yakama Indian Nation, including projects with the Yakama Tribal School, the Yakama Nation Natural Resources Division, the Yakama Cultural Museum and Library, the Office of Economic Development, and other programs.
STUDENT BODY AND FACULTY
From an initial enrollment of 85 students on the Toppenish Campus in 1981, the main campus student body has grown to more than 900 by 2006. When combined with enrollment at the satellite sites, the total number of students enrolled in Heritage University programs is over 1,500.
About one-third of the undergraduates are typical college age (18-23), and the overall average age of undergraduates is 30. There is a good mix of traditional age students and students returning to school for the first time in several years. Approximately 75% of the students work at least part-time. Half the University's coursework is offered after 4:30 p.m. or on weekends to accommodate work and family responsibilities.
Most of the undergraduate students at Heritage University are enrolled for at least twelve semester hours (full-time) and are pursuing a baccalaureate degree program. As of May 2008, more than 6,500 certificates, baccalaureate, or master’s diplomas have been awarded by Heritage University. More than half of Heritage baccalaureate graduates go on to earn a graduate degree. The most recent survey of Heritage’s baccalaureate degree recipients revealed that 96% of them were employed.
Heritage University's faculty is comprised of over 200 well-qualified persons holding master’s and doctoral degrees from more than sixty different colleges and universities throughout the United States and abroad. Approximately fifty of these scholars are employed full-time by the University, and the remainder are adjunct faculty. Many faculty, in addition to their doctoral or master’s degrees, have practical perspectives gained from full-time professional jobs as accountants, school administrators, lawyers, scientific researchers, musicians and artists, journalists, business managers, and teachers.
All of Heritage's faculty members are carefully chosen to blend excellent academic competency with commitment to the mission of the University. The average class size is approximately fifteen students. Following lengthy research and study, the faculty adopted a statement of Key Characteristics of Highly Effective Faculty at Heritage University in 1997 and updated it in 2005, which it uses in faculty performance assessment processes. An outstanding dedication by individual instructors to helping students reach high standards is a hallmark of Heritage University's faculty.
FACILITIES AND RESOURCES
Beginning with a small four-room cottage and three leased classrooms at the McKinley School site in 1981, Heritage University has expanded to a fully-owned and well-equipped campus.
In 1983, Heritage purchased from the Toppenish School District the 11.5 acres of land and buildings comprising the McKinley School. The main building was renamed Petrie Hall in honor of Lorene M. Petrie, a local resident whose charitable trust made the property acquisition possible. This 13,000 square foot building was renovated in 1994 and again in 1999 and houses classrooms, Information Technology Services, the Heritage Bookstore and The Helen Jewett Student Center.
The Annex, a former Grange Hall, was acquired in 1990 to provide five additional classrooms and expand the total campus to almost 18 acres.
In 1993, a new 17,000 square foot Library and Learning Center opened it houses a large Academic Skills Center, a computerized writing lab, four fully equipped computer labs, executive offices, and a spacious and inviting library.
The Cedars Complex that opened in 1998 was re-named the Sister Elizabeth Simkins Center in December 2003 to honor the memory of one of the founding faculty of Heritage, a professor of early childhood education who embodied the Heritage ideal of service by giving generously of her time, talent and humor to Heritage students from 1982 to 2002. It is comprised of four modular units donated by Battelle Memorial Institute and houses the Division of Education and Psychology.
Beginning in 1999 technology resources from the University of Washington have served Heritage University students and faculty as part of a comprehensive University of Washington – Heritage University partnership. Supplemental to Heritage’s own computer resources, additional technology hardware and software are available to students in the Community Business and Training Center which was completed as a joint project in 2005.
The Student Service Center, an innovative building designed to function as a one-stop-shop for all student services, opened in May 2001. It provides students with services for admissions, financial aid, registration, student billing, career planning and placement, work-study jobs, counseling, student body activities and clubs, and housing referrals.
In 2006, ten additional acres were purchased, bringing the total campus site to approximately 28 acres.
In 2008, the Arts and Sciences Center, the largest building on campus, was completed as the result of a $25-million comprehensive campaign. The 34,000 square feet facility includes science labs, an advanced nursing skills lab, additional high-tech classrooms, and a large meeting space that accommodates 450.
Twelve additional modular buildings around the campus serve as faculty offices, classrooms, student activity facilities, and the business office.
LIBRARY AND INFORMATION RESOURCES & SERVICES
The Donald K. C. North Library, located in the Library and Learning Center Building, seeks to provide a central focus for the scholarly and intellectual life of its students, faculty, and staff and to meet the informational and educational needs of Heritage University and the local community. The library develops, augments, and maintains collections of print material, electronic products, and other non-print resources to support all areas of the University curriculum, to facilitate the development of research skills for students, faculty, and staff on and off campus and to contribute to the cultural enrichment of the Heritage University community.
Resources
Library users have access to 60,000 print and 20,000 electronic volumes. The library subscribes to serial publications — magazines, journals, newspapers, and newsletters. Computer terminals provide online access to Voyager, an electronic catalog, which lists the Heritage University holdings. Membership in OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) and OPALL (Online Private Academic Library Link) provides access to millions of additional records and materials from member libraries through interlibrary loan. Internet access is available, with web-based indexes, electronic journals, electronic books and reference databases licensed for use by the University community. Audiovisual materials for instructional support are located in the circulation area. Microform materials are located in the reference area. The library archive, called the K ROSS Collection, consists of rare and research materials of regional and cultural interest. Consult the library website for titles and access information. Please contact the library for assistance and access to these resources and services.
Information Literacy
The library personnel offer a wide range of opportunities for instruction and research strategies in the use of printed and electronic resources. Training includes library orientation, research strategies, library information retrieval, instruction for new students, instruction to support University courses, instruction sessions for classes or individuals, and training of students who work in the library. Off-campus students and faculty have equal access to information literacy training and skills development. Additionally, students and faculty may contact the library staff via telephone, fax, e-mail, and the University website.
Services Provided
The library web site offers information regarding all aspects of library service, as well as facilitating requests for such service. Links to online catalogs, licensed databases, useful internet sites, tutorials, citation styles, and other educational material address the needs of both faculty and students.
Library staff assists students, faculty, and staff in the location and use of circulating and reference books as well as electronic databases.
Students, faculty, and staff must have valid library accounts. Inquire at the circulation desk regarding establishment of the account. All patrons must present a picture ID at the circulation desk to borrow materials. Books are loaned for up to four weeks, with one renewal permitted. Reference books, reserve materials, and current periodicals may be used throughout the library. These items do not circulate.
The library issues a number of its own publications, including library use and research guides, subject bibliographies, newsletters, and user policies and regulations. Consult the circulation and reference areas for these handouts.
Interlibrary loan of materials not held in the library is available to students, faculty, and staff and requests may be made via e-mail, the library website, telephone, or forms available at the circulation desk. There is usually no charge for this service
The University licenses electronic databases. These are available on and off campus via the internet. Consult the library staff or instructors for information on how to access these databases and electronic journals off-site.
A network printer is available for printing online material. These printers are for school-related purposes only. Non-University research can be saved to a portable device or e-mailed to a private account.
The library houses a photocopy machine, microfilm reader/printer, video and audio equipment, typewriter, and basic office equipment for patrons.
A number of ready reference books and materials are available at the main reference desk. These include guides to database use and items of local interest.
The library staff accommodates students with special needs.
Hours
Please consult the current schedule listing or the library web page for current hours of operation. Changes in the posted schedule may vary during intersession and summer sessions. Contact the library with further inquires at 509.865.8521 or check the website at click here
HERITAGE UNIVERSITY COMPUTER AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES
Heritage University is committed to providing our students with first class, hands-on access to the latest computing technology. More than two hundred computer workstations and printers are available for use by any student. These systems, located in common areas and formal computer laboratories all across campus, merge the latest PC hardware and technology with an extremely wide range of up-to-date software for every discipline.
Students attending Heritage regional campuses located at community college sites, enjoy the same access to computing technology through our joint facilities use agreements.
High speed internet connectivity as well as access to a wide range of on-line student support resources is provided by state-of-the-art gigabit speed optical fiber connections across the entire campus. Students and faculty also have free unlimited access to high speed wireless (WiFi) services located in all student accessible areas.
ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER
The Academic Skills Center, which the campus maintains to assist students with academic needs, is designed for individual support. The Academic Skills Center is a place where students can learn new skills, refine already acquired skills, receive tutoring support for their classes, and be assessed for their academic levels in mathematics, writing, and communications. Other assessments are available on an as needed basis. Any student or prospective student is welcome to visit the Academic Skills Center and discuss learning needs at any time.
OWNERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION
The University is owned and governed by a self-perpetuating Board of Directors of up to 24 members who represent a broad cross-section of regional communities and professions and is multi-cultural and multi-denominational. The President serves at the discretion of the Board and is responsible for operating the University with the assistance of administrative officers and their staff.
INFORMATION DISCLAIMER
At the time of publication (July 2008) the programs of Heritage University are offered as indicated in this catalog. However, the administration reserves the right to make necessary changes to programs, requirements, and fees during the life of this catalog. Such changes will be published by the Academic Affairs Office or the Student Services Office. Prospective students are advised to check with the Registrar's Office for the latest information.
NON-DISCRIMINATION
Heritage University subscribes to the principles and laws of the federal government and the State of Washington pertaining to civil rights and equal opportunity, including Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1973. The University has a policy of equal educational opportunity, equal employment opportunity, and nondiscrimination in the provision of educational and other services to the public. Heritage University does not discriminate in admission or access to its educational facilities, or in its treatment of students or employees, in its programs and activities, on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, veteran status, or disabling conditions, in violation of federal or state law.
Almost all facilities on the Toppenish campus are wheelchair accessible and a plan exists for on-going accessibility improvements.
DIVERSITY AND EQUITY
The objectives of the Heritage University Equal Opportunity Program are to eliminate discrimination and, in conformity with state and federal law, and in keeping with the University's mission, to develop and maintain a work force and a student body which reflect the communities of the regions that the University serves. Applications for employment and student admission are especially solicited from groups under-represented in various levels of the work force and/or in the region's higher education student bodies.
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